Harvester thresher with leveling platform



Apl 18, 11950 H. .'wATERMAN vxvmRx/lizs'riszra THRESHER WITH LEVELING PLATFORM 6 Sheets-Sheet l Original Filed Dec. 30, 1944 April 1s, 195o vH. WATERMAN 2,504,289

HARVESTER THRESHER-WITH LEVELING PLATFORM Original Filed Dec. 30, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 18, 1950 H. L. WATERMAN 2,504,289

HARVESTER TTmEsHER WITH LEVELING PLATFORM original Filed nec. so, 1944 e sheets-sheet s April 18, 1950 H vl.. WATERMAN HARVESTER TmaEsHER WITH LEVELING PLATFORM' 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Dec. 30. 1944 April 18, 1950 H. L. WATERMAN 2,504,289

HARVESTER THRESHER WITH LEVELING PLATFORM Original Filed Dec. 430, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 i Q 84 3 l Y/ n `5 z L 54 as 54 '51 l lli-l 1| fr .g1 l: 56 59 52 78 Il, 106 l *50 9 l ,002 ,v @a l/ I l m April 18, 1950 H. L. WATERMAN 2,504,289

HRVESTER THRESHER WITH LEVELING PLATFORM Original Filed Dec. 30, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Apr. 18, 1950 HARVESTER Interna tion of New Jersey Original application THBESHEB WITH LEVELING PLATFO lnowimi L. waterman, mime,

Ill., assignorto tional Harvester Compan a corpora- December 30, 1944, Serial N0. 570,548. Divided and this l0, 1946, Serial N0. 668,864

application May 'z claims. (ci. ssi-122') This application is a division'of my copending application Serial No. 570,546, filed December 30, 1944. now Patent 2,491,236 issued December 13, 1949.

The invention relates to a'grain harvester. More specifically, it relates to a harvester thresher with leveling platform particularly adaptable for hillside operation.

In the design of traveling harvester-threshers, often designated as combines, one of the serious problems hasy been to maintain the thresher part in substantially horizontal position when the machine is operated on relatively steep hillsides. In order to maintain the efficiency of a grain separator of the conventional straw-walker and grain-pan type, it is necessary that the harvester-thresher be maintained ina substantially horizontal position both `with respect to its longitudinal and transverse dimensions. Various types of supporting structure have been devised to accomplish generally this desired result. There are other problems in connection with the supporting of a floating platform, which must operate substantially parallel to the ground level, which are involved in side hill operation. It is particularly in connection with the ilexibility of a laterally-extending grain platform in connection with leveling means for the thresher part of a harvesterV thresher that the present invention is concerned.

.The above objects and others which will be apparent from the description to follow are attained by a construction such as shown in the drawings. in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a harvesterthresher embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation showing the harvesterthresher of Figure 1 operating on a relatively steep hillside with the thresher body in leveled position;

Figure 3 is` a plan view of the harvester` thresher of Figure 1; Y

Figure 4 is a front view of the harvesterthresher of Figure 1 as it would appear on level ground:

Figure 5 is a similar view showing the harvester-thresher on a steep side hill with the thresher body in leveled position;

.f Figure 6 is a detail view showing one of the connections of the leveling linkage beneath the thresher body;

Figure 7 is a bottom view of a portion of the harvester-thresher structure showing the levelthe platform and the 2 Figure 8 is a side elevation view taken from the platform side of the machine;

Figure 9 is `an enlarged view of a portion of feeder housing with the feeder housing in section to show the feeding elements therein;

ing linkage in connection with the ground v wheels;

Figure 10 is a view taken on the line i-Il ofFigure 9; and

Figure 11 is a view taken on the line iI-Ii of Figure 10.

'I'he harvester-thresher illustrated in the drawings is adapted to be pulled behind a tractor and may be operated by a tractor power takeoil or by a separate engine carried on the harvester-thresher structure inthe position indicated by the dot-dash lines. The harvesterthresher is of the type in which the main portion of the weight is carried on two transversely aligned ground wheels and in which means are provided for moving the wheels with the thresher ybody whereby the wheels remain in a, vertical position and whereby the thresher remains in its normal horizontal position. A side-connected platform is pivoted to a feeder housing which is in turn pivoted to the thresher body, the other end of the platform being wheel-supported. The

`invention resides in the particular means for articulating the various structures, and particularly in means for maintaining the platform in `any of the various adjusted positions substantially parallel to the ground. This is an important feature, as the point of connection of the platform with the feeder housing varies with every adjustment of the thresher body about either a longitudinal or a transverse axis.

The provision of a feeder housing and a platform pivotally connected thereto requires a type of feed mechanism which is flexible and which operates at an angle of the platform with respect to the feeder housing. A positive simple type of auger feed is provided by connecting the end of a normal open-end auger to an extension auger with a universal joint, theother end of the extension auger being secured to the feeder housing. This particular feed may be accomplished by other constructions in which the auxiliary auger is substantially in alignment with the main feed auger and is in effect a continuation thereof.

In the drawings, many parts of the harvesterthresher have been shown only in outline as the invention resides primarily in the geographic location of various elements and their movements and adjustments relative thereto. No internal structure has been shown in the thresher body i 3 portion of the machine as any conventional threshing mechanism may be utilized.

The thresher body 2l is generally of the selfsupporting type. being formed by sheet-metal housing sections welded or otherwise rigidly secured together whereby a rigid structure is provided with comparatively little bracing from auxiliary frame members. For that reason, the thresherbodywillbe'referredto as a unitin describing the various elements which are connected thereto or mounted thereon.

As best shown in Figure 6, a bracket structure 2| extends laterally from one side of the thresher body 23, being provided with two longitudinally spaced, downwardly extending bracket portions 22 and 23, said bracket portions being best shown in Figure 7. Between said bracket portions a wheel support 24, which may be a portion of the bracket structure 2|, extends laterally outwardly beyond the bracket portions 23. A supporting wheel 25 is journaled on the support 24. Said wheel it at all times parallel to the thresher body as it is journaled upon the structure 24 which is rigid with respect to the thresher body.

A frame structure designated in its entirety by the reference character 26 has spaced connecting portions 21 which are pivotally secured on a longitudinal axis to the bracket portions 23 of the bracket structme 2|.' The frame structure 26 extends beneath the thresher body and laterally to the other side a substantal distance beyond the thresher body. spaced connecting portions 26 on said frame structure are pivotally connected on a longitudinal axis to a second wheel support 26. Said support provides a supporting means for a second supporting wheel 3l whichl is transversely aligned with respect to the supporting wheel 25.l

Astabilizinglinkintheformofabar 3| is pivotally connected at its ends to downwardly extending portions of the wheel supports 24 and 29. Said bar, in connection with the frame structure 26, forms in eect a parallel linkage which confines the outwardly spaced supporting wheel 30 for vertical movement parallel to the ground wheel 25 while permitting tilting of the thresher body 2l with respect to the ground level. The bracket structure 2|, the wheel supports 24 and 29, the frame structure 26, and the link 3| provide a wheeled supporting structure for the thresher body 26. To provide for such tilting movement, a hydraulic device having a cylinder 32 and an extended piston rod 33 is connected between a bracket 34 mounted on the spaced-wheel side of the thresher body 26 and a bracket 35 secured to the frame structure 26. By supplying liquidunder pressure to the cylinder 32, the thresher body may be tilted with respect to the frame structure 26 whereby it may be leveled for hillside operation.

A draft frame structure 36 is pivotally connected on a transverse axis to spaced connecting portions 36 which extend forwardly from the frame structure 26. A hydraulic device is'shown as providing an adjusting means for varying the angular position of the draft frame structure 36 with respect to the frame structure 26 and thereby altering the position of the thresher body 20 whereby said thresher body may be leveled to a horizontal position for various angular positions of the draft frame structure 36. It is assumed that said structure will be attached to the drawbar of a tractor which is substantially fixed with respect to its height above the ground level. The hydraulic device illustrated includes ysuillciently close to the bottom 43 and in an upa cylinder 31 pivotally connected to a bracket 33 on the draft frame structure 36, and a piston-rod extension 35 pivotally connected to a bracket structure 46 on the frame structure 26.

A feeder housing 4| is pivotally connected on a transverse axis 42 to the front of the thresher body 23, 'I'his construction is conventional in traveling harvester-threshers to permit iioating movement of the feeder housing with respect to the thresher part of the machine. Referring to Figures 9 and 10, which show the feeder housing 4| and the feeding mechanism therein: said housing includes an upwardly inclined bottom 43,

spaced side walls 44 and 45, and a curved front wall structure 46. Said front wall structure is shaped to provide a large feed opening 41 for receiving material and is slanted rearwardly toward the side wall 44 to confine the material being fed and to assure its delivery into the vertical conveying means. Said vertical conveying means.v is in the form of what has been conventionally termed an overhead feeder. A conveyer mechanism having chains 46 and conveyor flights 46 spaced thereon operates over sprockets 50 on a transverse shaft 5|, sprockets 52 on a transverse shaft 53, and sprockets 54 on a transverse shaft 55. 'I'he lower run of the conveyor operates ward direction with respect thereto for engaging material and carrying it upwardly to be discharged at the upper end into the threshing mechanism of the thresher body 2li.y

A laterally extending grain platform, designated in its entirety by the reference character 56, extends laterally to the grain side of the machine from the feeder housing 4|, being pivotally connected thereto on an axis indicated by the reference character 51, which is generally 1ongitudinal of the machine, being slanted, however, upwardly to the rear. The grain platform is formed generally of sheet metal of suiiicient weight to be self-supporting. Additional angle bars and other bracing means are secured to the sheet metal wherever required. Said grain platform has a back wall 53 curved forwardly at its lower portion and extending substantially horizontally in a forward direction to provide a flat grain-receiving portion 60. A conventional grain-cutting mechanism 6| is indicated as being along the forward edge of the portion 60. Said mechanism may be driven by any suitable source, a drive means 62 being indicated in Figure 8.

Adjacent the grain platform 56 and around the opening 41, the curved wall 46 of the feeder housing is provided with a generally cylindrical extension 63. Said extension, as best shown in Figure 11, is somewhat spherical at its outer end to provide for an overlapping ilt of a similar extension flange 64 formed at the end of the back wall 55 and bottom portion 60 of the grain platform. This spherical fitting is provided so that a closely fitting joint may be obtained while permitting pivoting of the grain platform with respect to the feeder housing about the attaching structure, which will now be described.

At the feeder housing end of the grain platform 56, an upwardly-extending curved wall 65 provides a grain-retaining wall as well as forming a portion of the curved iiange extension 64 previously mentioned. A grain divider 66 forms a continuation of the wall 65. A bracket 61 connected to the wall 65 extends laterally and ,is connected by a pivot pin 68 with a bracket 63 secured to the cylindrical extension 63 of the feeder housing.

At the rear of the grain platform 56 a braced supporting frame extends from the outer end of the grain platform toa point adjacent the said wall 4 5 of the thresher body. Said frame includes a longitudinally-extending member 1|, a transversely-extending bar 12 adjacent the grain-platform, and a diagonally-extending bar 13. A bracket 14 secured to the bar 13 is pivoted by a pin 15. lying on the same axis as the pin 60, to a .bracket 16 secured to the wall 45 and extending laterally'outwardly therefrom. .The bar 12 is secured by a pin 11, also lying on the same axis as the pin 80. to` a bracket 10 carried by a reinforcing channel 10 at the outer edge of the cylindrical extension 63 of the feeder housing. The three pins 60, 15, 11 provide a pivot axis by means of which the grain platform and its associated structure are pvotally mounted on the feeder housing 4|. As indicated both in Figures 8 and 10, said axis extends upwardly to the rear at a substantial angle.

An auger conveyor 80 extends the full length of the grain platform, being positioned to cooperate with the back wall 59 and the at bottom 60 to feed grain out by the sickle bar in an endwise direction towards the feeder housing. The auger 60 is supported entirely at its outer end by conventional means such as shown in the United States Patent No. 2,142,587. A laterally projecting drive shaft 0| for said auger is adapted to be driven by the drive chain 02 extending upwardly and rearwardly to a drive shaft 83 extending along the rear of the platform 55. Said shaft, as shown in Figure 9, is carried at the thresher side of the platform by a journal box 84 mounted on the bar 1|. A pulley 85 is mounted on the end of the shaft 83, the center of said' pulley lying substantially on Athe axis of connection of the grain platform to the feeder housing, as shown by the dotted-line position of the pulley in Figure 10 and by the full-line position of the pulley in Figure 8. A belt 86 connects the pulley 85 with a pulley 88 carried by the shaft 53. Said shaft, as previously described, also drives the feed conveyor chains 48. Said shaft y also forms the pivot axis 42 by means of which the feeder housing is secured to the thresher body. Power may be delivered by any suitable means to the driving shaft 53, either from power takeoff mechanism connected to the tractor or from a separate power plant mounted on the harvester thresher.

A reel assembly 5| is shown mounted in operative position above the grain platform. Said reel assembly is mounted on a supporting structure 92 extending upwardly and forwardly from the grain platform 56 at each end thereof. A drive sprocket 93 carried as a part of the reel assembly is connected by a drive `chain 94 to an idler sprocket structure 95 which is in turn connected by the drive chain 96 with a sprocket onthe shaft 0|. By this means the reel is driven simultaneously with the Vauger conveyor.

Figures 3 and 8 also show additional elements of the sickle drive mechanism. A bevel gear 91 on the shaft 83 is positioned to drive a bevel gear 90 which is secured to a vertical shaft 09 at the lower end of which the sickle drive mechanism 62 is secured.

The auger 00, as previously stated, terminates adjacent the pivot axis of the grain platform 55 on the feeder housing 46. An auxiliary extension auger |00 is positioned in the housing 4| extending transversely thereof. Said auger is in effect a continuation of the auger 00 and is in substantially axial augment therewith when the har- One end of the auger |00, as shown in Figure 9,

' is provided with a shaft |0| which extends within an open-end sleeve portion |02. Said' sleeve portion telescopically nts over a support |03 secured to the side wall 44 of the feeder housing extending substantially perpendicular therefrom. Said support carries a journal box |04 in which the shaft extension |0| is slidably and rotatably secured. It will'be understood that the auxiliary auger |00 could be carried entirely on the wall 44 by the supporting means above described. In the embodiment illustrated, said auger is connected at what would be its free end to what would be the free end of the auger '80. Said connection is inthe form of a universal joint, the center of which lies on the pivot axis of the grain platform 56 on the feeder housing 4|. Said universal joint connection includes a double Y universal joint assembly |05, a projecting sleeve |06 on `the auger 80, and a spherical shield |01 on the auger |00.

A grain wheel |08 is mounted on a crank axle construction |09 secured to a transversely extending shaft ||0 which is rotatably mounted on the platform 56, one mounting bracket being shown at the outer end o f the platform in Figure 3. The other end of the shaft ||0 is rotatably Asupported at the other end of the platform 56 by a bracket ||2, as shown in Figures l and 2. An upwardly-extending lever ||3 is secured to the end of the shaft ||0, said lever terminating substantially on the pivot axis of the platform on the feeder housing. A link 4 is loosely pivoted to the upper end of the lever I3 extending upwardly substantially parallel to and lying close-to the pivot axis of the platform on the feeder housing. At its upper end, said link is pivotally connected to a member I5. Said member is rigidly secured to the side of the thresher body 20. The shaft ||0, the lever ||3 and the link 4 constitute adjusting linkage to adjust thegrain wheel |08 and thereby the outer end of the platform 56 in accordance with movements of the thresher body, thereby maintaining the platform substantially parallel to the ground during relative tilting movement of the body and platform.

The feeder housing 4| was described as being pivotally connected to the thresher body 20 on the axis 42. To provide for pivoting adjustment of vsaid feeder housing, a hydraulic device is shown,

said device having a cylinder ||8 pivotally connected to a bracket H9, as shown in Figure 3, carried by the feeder housing 4|. A piston rod extension |20 of the hydraulic means is pivotally secured to a bracket |2| carried by a forwardlyextending portion |22 of the thresher body 20.

In the operation of a harvesting machine having the construction as above described in detail, the hydraulic cylinder 32 provides means for taking care of transverse inclines, as illustrated by Figures 4 and 5. The ,parallel linkage provided by the frame structure 26 and the bar 3| maintains the wheels in parallel vertical relation with respect to the thresher body during all lpositions of adjustment by tipping the thresher body about a longitudinal axis.

'Ihe hydraulic cylinder ||8 provides for raising and lowering the feeder housing 4| to take care of vertical platform adjustments for cutting the grain at different heights and also to provide for inclines in a longitudinal direction as illustrated by Figures 1 and 2. The adjustment of the thresher body into a horizontal position, as illus- 'l trated by Figures 1 and 2. is taken care of by the cylinder 31. Hydraulic connections and valves have not been indicated for the lifting and adjusting cylinders as any conventional control system may be utilized for supplying liquid under l pressure to the said cylinders.

shown in an extreme position on a steep slope in Figure 5, the cutter bar is slightly angled with respect to the ground but in all intermediate psitions the cutter bar is practically parallel to the ground. a

The feed cutter 00 transfers a crop endwise of the platform to the opening 41 at the lateral side of the feeder housing. The auxiliary auger |00 then engages the material and feeds it inwardly into the housing and into contact with the flights 40 of the feed conveyor. The shape of the end wall I6 of the housing provides a passage of decreasing cross section whereby the material is compressed into engagement with the feed conveyor. It will be noted, also, that the outside dimension of the auxiliary auger |00 decreases to correspond to the shape of the feed housing. The universal joint connection between the augers 80 and |00, by being constructed with its center line on the pivot axis of the platform on the feeder housing, provides driving means for the auxiliary auger without introducing any strains on the supporting means for either of the auger. By this construction a substantially continuous conveyor is provided while permitting flexibility of the platform with respect to the feeder housing.

It is to be understood that applicant has shown and described only a preferred embodiment of his improved harvester-thresher with leveling adjustments, a floating grain platform, and lmproved feeding means therefor, and that he claims as his invention all modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a harvester thresher having a longitudinally positioned thresher body, and a wheeled supporting structure for said body, means to tilt the body about transverse and longitudinal axes with respect to said supporting structure, a feeder housing pivotally secured to the thresher body on a transverse axis, an upwardly delivering conveying means in said housing, a grain platform pivoted to said housing on a generally longitudinal axis and extending laterally therefrom, a wheel supported at the other end of said platform for relative vertical movement with respect thereto. adjusting linkage connecting said wheel and the thresher body operative to maintain the platform substantially parallel to the ground during relative tilting of the thresher body, and grain transferring means on said platform.

2. In a harvester thresher having a longitudinally positioned thresher body and a wheeled supporting structure for said body, a leveling and adjusting mechanism comprising means to tilt the body about a transverse axis with respect to said supporting structure, a feeder housing pivotally secured to the thresher body on a transverse axis, an upwardly delivering conveying means in said housing, a grain platform pivoted to said housing at its inner end on a generally longitudinal axis and vextending laterally therefrom, a wheeled support for the other end of said platform, andgraln transferring means on the platform, said wheeled support including a wheel, a supporting member mounted for vertical movement relative to the platform, and linkage connecting said member with the harvester body and operable to adJust the outer end of the platform with tilting of the thresher body.

3. A harvester thresher comprising a thresher body, bracket structure on said thresher body, a wheel mounted thereon, a transverse frame structure :pivoted to said bracket structure, a support pivoted to the transverse frame structure on a longitudinal axis, a wheel on said support, a link member below said frame structure and pivotally connected to the bracket structure and to the wheel support below the connection points of said bracket structure and said support with the transverse frame structure, a draft frame connected to the frame structure. means for acljusting the thresher body about a longitudinal axis with respect to the draft frame and about a transverse axis with respect to said frame structure, a feeder housing pivotally connected to the thresher body on a transverse axis, a harvester platform pivotally connected to said housing on a generally longitudinal axis, said platform extending laterally from the feeder housing, a wheelsupporting member at the outer end of the platform mounted for vertical movement relative to said platform, a wheel mounted on said member, a lever arm extending from the other end of said member, a link lying close to the pivot axis of the harvester platform on the feeder housing, said link being connected to the lever arm and to the harvester body, and linkage connecting said member with the thresher body operative to move said member in the same direction and substantially the same distance as the movement of the inner end of the platform.

4. A supporting, leveling and adjusting mechanism for a harvester thresher having a thresher body comprising a thresher body, a wheeled frame structure for supporting said thresher body. extensible means changing the angular position of the thresher body relative to said frame structure, a draft frame connected to the frame structure, a feeder housing pivotally connected to the thresher body on a transverse axis, a harvester platform pivotally connected to said housing on a generally longitudinal axis, said platform extending laterally from the feeder housing, a wheel-supporting member pivoted on a transverse axis on said harvester platform, a crank axle extending from said member at the outer end of the harvester platform, a wheel mounted on said axle, a lever arm extending from the other end of said member, a linklying close to the pivot axis of the harvester platform on the feeder housing, said link being connected to said lever arm and to the harvester body.

' 5. A harvester thresher comprising a thresher body, bracket structure on said thresher body, a wheel mounted thereon, a frame structure pivoted to said bracket structure and extending transversely therefrom, a support pivoted to the transvverse frame structure on a longitudinal axis, a

sition of the thresher body relative to said frame structure, a draft frame connected to the frame structure, means for adjusting the thresher body about a longitudinal axis with respect to the frame structure, a feeder housing pivotally connected to the thresher body on a transverse axis, a harvester platform pivotally connected to said housing on a generally longitudinal axis, said platform extending laterally from the feeder housing, a wheel-supporting member pivoted on a transverse axis on said harvester platform, a crank axle extending from said member at the outer end of the harvester platform, a wheel mounted on said axle, a lever arm extending from the other end of said member, a link lying close to the pivot axis of the harvester platform on the feeder housing, said link being connected to said lever arm and to the harvester body.

6. A harvester thresher comprising a thresher body, bracket structure extending laterally to one side of said thresher body, a wheel mounted thereon, a frame structure pivoted to said bracket structure and extending laterally under the thresher body, a support ypivoted to the transverse frame structure on a longitudinal axis, a wheel on said support, a link member below said frame structure and pivotally connected to the bracket structure and to the wheel support below the connection points of said bracket structure and said support with the transverse frame structure, a draft frame connected to the frame structure, means for adjusting the thresher body about a longitudinal axis with respect to the draft frame and about a transverse axis with respect to said frame structure,4 a feeder housing -pivotally connected to the thresher body on a transverse axis, a harvester platform pivotally connected to said housing on a generally longitudinal axis, said platform extending laterally from the feeder housing, a wheel-supporting member pivoted on a transverse axis on said harvester platform, a crank axle extending from said member at the outer end of the harvester platform, a wheel mounted on said axle, a lever arm extending from the other end of said member, and a link lying close to the pivot axis of the harvester platform on the feeder housing, said link being connected to the lever arm and to the harvester body.

7. A harvester thresher comprising a longitudinally extending thresher body, bracket structure extending laterally to one 81de of said l0 thresher body, a supporting wheel mounted on a transverse axis on said bracket structure, a frame structure pivoted to said supporting structure and extending laterally under the, thresher body at a substantial distance beyond the other side thereof, a supporting wheel, a support for said wheel pivoted to the transverse frame structure on a longitudinal axis, a frame member below said frame structure and pivotally connected t0 the bracket structure and to the wheel support below the connection points of said bracket structure and said support with the transverse frame structure thereby providing a substantially parallel linkage for maintaining said wheels parallel to each other and substantially parallel to the thresher body, a draft frame pivotally connected on a transverse axis to the frame structure between the remote wheel and the body, means for adjusting said frame structure with respect to said draft frame, means. for adjusting the thresher body about a longitudinal axis with respect to the frame structure, a feeder housing pivotally connected at its rear end to the forward end of the thresher body, means for angularly adjusting said feeder housing with respect to the thresher body, a harvester platform pivotally connected to the housing structure on a downwardly and forwardly inclined axis, said platform extending laterally from the feeder housing at the side thereof opposite the draft frame. a wheel supporting member pivoted on a transverse axis on said harvester platform, a crank axle extending rearwardly from said member at the outer end of the harvester platform. a wheel mounted on said axle, a lever arm extending from the other end of said member, and a link lying close to the pivot axis of the harvester platform on the feeder housing, said link being connected at its lower end to said lever arm and at its upper end to the harvester body.

HOWARD L. WATERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,498,354 Coburn June 17, 1924 1,745,832 Brown Feb. 14, 1930 `2,293,328 Coburn Aug. 18, 1942 

